Thursday, 2 June 2011

Hardly my fault!

After 5 weeks of training M+D and being visited regularly by the Outreach team from Tommies, it was my turn to visit people.

Yesterday Mum and I trundled off to the Southbank to meet other mums and dads from the area with their babies for morning coffee and then met another escapee from Chelsea for lunch. After that we met up with Dad's lovely secretary Launa, and then came home. Hectic social life or what?! It was nice to meet other 'normal babies' and their parents and to know that most babies don't have such a rocky start to their lives. It was also lovely to meet Launa. She hasn't been very well but is getting better and she gives nice cuddles.

My Chelsea SCBU partner in crime is doing well at home. Mum and her mum swapped "1st week home and beyond" stories whilst we slept for a bit, fed for a bit and generally wanted some attention for most of the time.

Today Mum and I went to Sunshine House for my first physiotherapy appointment. This is to help me get my arms and legs moving properly and to keep assessing my development as I get older. This is very important given my MRI result and the bleed I had so early in my life. My brain can 'remodel' quite well as I am so young so different parts of my brain can take over functions that damaged bits of brain should have been doing. The physiotherapist said I was a bit young to start making judgments but that I seemed to be doing ok so far and that she'd see me again in 2 months.

This afternoon, we (me, M+D) went to Tommies to see one of the Neonatologists because M&D were worried about my eyesight and my development. He had kindly agreed to see us after M+D had spoken to the Outreach nurses. He listened carefully, and very thoroughly, to M+D and their concerns. He read my MRI report and then examined me from top to toe, and I really mean end to end.

He came to the conclusion that I can see perfectly well. He suggested that the reason M&D think I'm not looking at them is because I am 'bored' of M+D's faces. This seems a bit harsh but I have been looking at them for months now and there's really so very much to see. He told them to stop worrying about my eyesight and my smiling. Now I would have explained this myself - but, and I know this may surprise you, I don't actually write this blog; M&D do the writing. And they don't always get it right. So sorry for the confusion and worry.

"I told them I could see"

He also said I was moving my arms and legs normally with no difference between the two sides and that whilst the MRI wasn't normal and that the statistics suggest certain outcomes are more likely, it doesn't necessarily mean I won't be normal. Well as normal as any product of M+D's genes and nurture.

M+D were massively reassured and comforted that they were being 'normal, paranoid, first-time, medical parents'. I fear I'm going to continue being scrutinised forever...

2 comments:

So glad to see you are heading out and about and off your oxygen! I must say your cheeks are really quite plump(!) and adorable these days! Keep growing and getting stronger!Your friend Susie (sister of Emily at the Homerton), formerly of Perth, Australia now of Cheshire, UK!